Potential Metasepia set-up?

Psychedelic · 11/30/2012, 09:46 AM

Hello cephalopod community, I'm new to the forum and just as new to any sense of reef keeping, which means I have zero experience in the maintenance of any saltwater set-ups at all.

I know it is a better idea to pick up some less demanding creature to at least get a feel of the hobby, but I really cannot afford to do this in any way. I am 16, and will have to pay out of this from my own pocket, as well as having to position the tank in the bedroom.

My current ideas are that I put the 30 gallon cuttle tank next to its 20 gallon sump, which is intended to contain a peacock mantis shrimp. I am clueless about where to place the skimmer, and I would like to grow plenty of macroalgae in the mantis' reside.

The following are my questions.
I am reading a book specifically written on the topic of reef chemistry and it seems like every chemical hangs in a balance related to another.

What are the specific parameters that are of actual importance to the maintenance of a flamboyant in a set-up with only live rock?

I am in a tropical country relatively close to the Lembeh straits. Cuttlefish will come by more naturally at a cheap price and with better health.

However, the consequent problem is that I have a room temperature that averages at 30 degrees celsius.

Has anyone got a affordable and relatively low maintenance idea to bring that temperature down to a good 25 celsius?

Above, I mentioned about a skimmer. It would be great if anyone could shed some light about the level of filtration needed, and how to do so with the use of live rock, macroalgae and similar ideas. It would once again have to be highly affordable and exact suggestions would be great.

Thank you.

Thales · 12/04/2012, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psychedelic

Hello cephalopod community, I'm new to the forum and just as new to any sense of reef keeping, which means I have zero experience in the maintenance of any saltwater set-ups at all.

I know it is a better idea to pick up some less demanding creature to at least get a feel of the hobby, but I really cannot afford to do this in any way. I am 16, and will have to pay out of this from my own pocket, as well as having to position the tank in the bedroom.

I don't think you'll find anyone that would recommend you start your saltwater experience with such a sensitive animal. I understand that they are cool, but at the same time, you owe it to the animal to give it the best chance at survival and having no experience in saltwater along with a need to save money essentially lowers that chance to practically zero. If you are still interested please start out with some easy to keep, captive bred/cultured animals and work you way outward from there. You'll find that you will end up saving lives and money with a solid foundation of keeping saltwater.

Sorry for the bad news

Thanks!

gpx1200 · 12/05/2012, 06:23 PM

i have to fuly agree with thales on this one, having low funds and limited space is no excuse to make the animal suffer. i think you should keep researching and learn as much as you can untill you have the funds for the proper equipment and knowledge to house these animals properly.
nothing about keeping saltwater tanks is low maintenance or highly afordable

Psychedelic · 12/16/2012, 11:57 PM

I posted this same query on tonmo, and was similarly advised not to jump right in. As such, I'll just seek some clarification for additional knowledge instead.

On tonmo, there were mentions of expert institutions struggling with the care of the flamboyants. Is this indeed the case, or more of a problem expounded by the distance between the cuttle's native location and their destinations?

More importantly, what are the specific parameters that are of actual importance to the maintenance of a cuttle in a set-up with only live rock?

I've also had some suggestions that going for a Sepia bandensis may not be such a bad idea. Any opinions on this possibility?

Thales · 12/18/2012, 08:19 AM

I would stay away from cephalopods as your first saltwater experience. S. bandensis is slightly easier than Metasepia, but that doesn't make them easy, especially for someone new to saltwater. Saltwater has enough to keep track of without sensitive animals that have specialized live diets (that are expensive). I understand that they are cool, but at the same time, you owe it to the animal to give it the best chance at survival and having no experience in saltwater along with a need to save money essentially lowers that chance to practically zero. If you are still interested please start out with some easy to keep, captive bred/cultured animals and work you way outward from there. You'll find that you will end up saving lives and money with a solid foundation of keeping saltwater.

Thales · 12/18/2012, 09:10 AM

I would stay away from cephalopods as your first saltwater experience. S. bandensis is slightly easier than Metasepia, but that doesn't make them easy, especially for someone new to saltwater. Saltwater has enough to keep track of without sensitive animals that have specialized live diets (that are expensive). I understand that they are cool, but at the same time, you owe it to the animal to give it the best chance at survival and having no experience in saltwater along with a need to save money essentially lowers that chance to practically zero. If you are still interested please start out with some easy to keep, captive bred/cultured animals and work you way outward from there. You'll find that you will end up saving lives and money with a solid foundation of keeping saltwater.

allendavant · 02/04/2015, 02:04 PM

I know this is an old thread, but I just want to state that I agree completely with Thales. Sepia Bandedsis are an absolute expert level animal and Metasepi Pfeferi is probably the hardest of all salwater life to keep alive in an aquarium. I would wager any amount of money that it would die within days. I would not even think about any type of Cephalopod until you have at leat a few years of experience keeping a reef healthy. If you can't maintain SPS corals then you probably can't keep a Cephalopod alive. Many people that start out in Saltwater have trouble just keeping fish alive and they are the easiest of any Saltwater life to keep alive. Cephalopods have similar intelligence to Cats, and it is just not right to let them suffer and die. I have been keeping Saltwater aquariums since I was a teenager. I successfully kept an octopus until it died a natural death, and I would still be nervous about trying to keep a Flamboyant Cuttlefish. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I really hope you didn't try to attempt this.

To answer your question, they need perfect water quality. 0 Nitrates, and Phosphates.

I hope I am not being too mean and discouraging about this, but you have to think about the welfare of one of the most beautiful creatures on this planet.

11/30/2012, 09:46 AM	#1
Psychedelic Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 15	Potential Metasepia set-up? Hello cephalopod community, I'm new to the forum and just as new to any sense of reef keeping, which means I have zero experience in the maintenance of any saltwater set-ups at all. I know it is a better idea to pick up some less demanding creature to at least get a feel of the hobby, but I really cannot afford to do this in any way. I am 16, and will have to pay out of this from my own pocket, as well as having to position the tank in the bedroom. My current ideas are that I put the 30 gallon cuttle tank next to its 20 gallon sump, which is intended to contain a peacock mantis shrimp. I am clueless about where to place the skimmer, and I would like to grow plenty of macroalgae in the mantis' reside. The following are my questions. I am reading a book specifically written on the topic of reef chemistry and it seems like every chemical hangs in a balance related to another. What are the specific parameters that are of actual importance to the maintenance of a flamboyant in a set-up with only live rock? I am in a tropical country relatively close to the Lembeh straits. Cuttlefish will come by more naturally at a cheap price and with better health. However, the consequent problem is that I have a room temperature that averages at 30 degrees celsius. Has anyone got a affordable and relatively low maintenance idea to bring that temperature down to a good 25 celsius? Above, I mentioned about a skimmer. It would be great if anyone could shed some light about the level of filtration needed, and how to do so with the use of live rock, macroalgae and similar ideas. It would once again have to be highly affordable and exact suggestions would be great. Thank you.

12/16/2012, 11:57 PM	#4
Psychedelic Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 15	I posted this same query on tonmo, and was similarly advised not to jump right in. As such, I'll just seek some clarification for additional knowledge instead. On tonmo, there were mentions of expert institutions struggling with the care of the flamboyants. Is this indeed the case, or more of a problem expounded by the distance between the cuttle's native location and their destinations? More importantly, what are the specific parameters that are of actual importance to the maintenance of a cuttle in a set-up with only live rock? I've also had some suggestions that going for a Sepia bandensis may not be such a bad idea. Any opinions on this possibility? Last edited by Psychedelic; 12/17/2012 at 12:09 AM.

12/18/2012, 08:19 AM	#5
Thales Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: bay area Posts: 3,808	I would stay away from cephalopods as your first saltwater experience. S. bandensis is slightly easier than Metasepia, but that doesn't make them easy, especially for someone new to saltwater. Saltwater has enough to keep track of without sensitive animals that have specialized live diets (that are expensive). I understand that they are cool, but at the same time, you owe it to the animal to give it the best chance at survival and having no experience in saltwater along with a need to save money essentially lowers that chance to practically zero. If you are still interested please start out with some easy to keep, captive bred/cultured animals and work you way outward from there. You'll find that you will end up saving lives and money with a solid foundation of keeping saltwater. __________________ The reefer formally known as Lefty Ink is the way; the way is ink. Current Tank Info: 150 mixed reef with a 180 remote sump • 250 gallon fish breeding system • 200 gallon cephalopod breeding system • 212,000 gallon reef tank at work

12/18/2012, 09:10 AM	#6
Thales Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: bay area Posts: 3,808	I would stay away from cephalopods as your first saltwater experience. S. bandensis is slightly easier than Metasepia, but that doesn't make them easy, especially for someone new to saltwater. Saltwater has enough to keep track of without sensitive animals that have specialized live diets (that are expensive). I understand that they are cool, but at the same time, you owe it to the animal to give it the best chance at survival and having no experience in saltwater along with a need to save money essentially lowers that chance to practically zero. If you are still interested please start out with some easy to keep, captive bred/cultured animals and work you way outward from there. You'll find that you will end up saving lives and money with a solid foundation of keeping saltwater. __________________ The reefer formally known as Lefty Ink is the way; the way is ink. Current Tank Info: 150 mixed reef with a 180 remote sump • 250 gallon fish breeding system • 200 gallon cephalopod breeding system • 212,000 gallon reef tank at work

12/05/2012, 06:23 PM	#3
gpx1200 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: spencer mass Posts: 552	i have to fuly agree with thales on this one, having low funds and limited space is no excuse to make the animal suffer. i think you should keep researching and learn as much as you can untill you have the funds for the proper equipment and knowledge to house these animals properly. nothing about keeping saltwater tanks is low maintenance or highly afordable

02/04/2015, 02:04 PM	#7
allendavant Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 57	I know this is an old thread, but I just want to state that I agree completely with Thales. Sepia Bandedsis are an absolute expert level animal and Metasepi Pfeferi is probably the hardest of all salwater life to keep alive in an aquarium. I would wager any amount of money that it would die within days. I would not even think about any type of Cephalopod until you have at leat a few years of experience keeping a reef healthy. If you can't maintain SPS corals then you probably can't keep a Cephalopod alive. Many people that start out in Saltwater have trouble just keeping fish alive and they are the easiest of any Saltwater life to keep alive. Cephalopods have similar intelligence to Cats, and it is just not right to let them suffer and die. I have been keeping Saltwater aquariums since I was a teenager. I successfully kept an octopus until it died a natural death, and I would still be nervous about trying to keep a Flamboyant Cuttlefish. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I really hope you didn't try to attempt this. To answer your question, they need perfect water quality. 0 Nitrates, and Phosphates. I hope I am not being too mean and discouraging about this, but you have to think about the welfare of one of the most beautiful creatures on this planet.